Eddie Van Halen donates guitars to schools

Eddie Van Halen has donated 75 of his guitars to schools in Los Angeles, to be used by students studying music.

The ‘Jump’ rocker – who’s band are poised to make a comeback with original singer David Lee Roth- has given the instruments to Los Angeles area schools through charity Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, which will distribute them to music departments for use by pupils.

Eddie said: “Music is the universal language. It has the ability to transcend and convey every human emotion that exists without saying a word. Music kept me off the streets and out of trouble and gave me something that was mine that no one could take away from me.

“If I can help a kid discover a liking, or even a passion for music in their life, then that’s a wonderful thing. Music has provided a good life for me and hopefully it can help make life better for others with this donation.”

Van Halen have are set to release their ‘A Different Kind of Truth’ album on February 7, their first album with David since ‘1984’. The group performed their first show with David back in the group in New York last week and the first single from the album, ‘Tattoo’, was premiered on Monday (10.01.12).

Newsletter

For the latest in fashion, beauty and culture, sign up to receive ELLE's daily newsletter.

We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. View Cookie Policy.